Your Mail: Jindal fails as a leader

Does Bobby Jindal really believe that most people in Louisiana hold religious faith and traditional marriage in contempt? That they love pornography and hate rich people? That they are deadbeats with no morals?

Those are just a few of the colorful descriptions he used in a recent column to describe the almost three-quarters of Louisiana voters who don't belong to the Republican Party. But what is most troubling about Bobby Jindal's views is that they appeal to the lowest of human instincts: fear, anger and resentment.

One of the most important lessons I learned at West Point and later during my career as an officer in the U.S. Army Rangers is that to lead people you must call on the noble aspects of their human spirit. Their love of country and family, their hopes for their children and community, their desire, as a testimony of their faith, to reach out and help those in need: to clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, feed the hungry.

These are the qualities I recognize in the people of Louisiana.

Bobby Jindal would divide us into two categories: the righteous and pure (like him) and everybody else. That's narrow-minded, arrogant and bad public policy.

In the last legislative session, Democrats, Republicans and Independents worked together in good faith, reached compromises and advanced the common good. Exactly how it should be.

How long can we continue in this spirit of cooperation with a goal of the common good when have a governor who falsely accuses almost three-quarters of the people he governs of being faithless, selfish and just plain evil?

Louisiana can-and will-do better than that.

John Bel Edwards

State Representative, Amite

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Your Mail: Jindal fails as a leader

Does Bobby Jindal really believe that most people in Louisiana hold religious faith and traditional marriage in contempt? That they love pornography and hate rich people? That they are deadbeats with